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Food as a Messenger, Clear Skin Naturally

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Natural News

April 2012• Issue 1

Clear Skin Naturally

Many of us when as teenagers had bouts of acne and pimples from time to time. 80 to 95 percent of teens have acne, breakouts whereas 12 percent of adult women and 5 percent of adult men still battle breakouts. However, adult acne may occur despite having clear skin as a youth. Some of the products for acne may be harsh and dry our skin which contributes to further breakouts, flaking and dull looking skin. Typical medical treatments involve the use of antibiotics, birth control pills or acutane, which health canada is investigating for its safety.

Life extension foundation (www.lef.org) has an excellent description of the varying types of acne and pimples:

•Open comedones (blackheads): These are dilated hair follicles that are filled with sebum, dead cells and bacteria, and which have central, dark, solid plugs. The follicles are not completely blocked; the black appearance is caused by oxidation, not dirt.
•Closed comedones (whiteheads): These form when skin cells and oil completely block the opening of a hair follicle, usually after a blackhead has formed.
•Nodules: These are solid, dome- or irregularly shaped, inflamed lesions that extend deep into the skin, sometimes causing tissue damage and scarring if not treated. Nodular acne, which can be painful, is the most severe form of the disease.
•Papules: This type of whitehead (5 mm or less) is one that has become swollen, red and inflamed
•Cysts: These sac-like lesions contain white blood cells, bacteria and dead cells in a liquid or semi-liquid state. They can result in scarring, and may be very painful and severely inflamed. Cysts and nodules often appear together to form nodulocystic acne, also very severe.
•Pustules: This whitehead is pus-filled and inflamed. Once they rupture into the skin, they form pustular heads.

Some common reasons for acne breakouts are:

Hormonal imbalance

Poor digestion and intestinal flora

Inadequate diet

Food allergies

Improper skin care

Lack of nutrients for our skin

Genetic predisposition, pore size and a tendency to acne runs in families

Hormonal imbalance can cause acne breakouts around hormonal shifts such as premenstrually or peri-menopause. An increase in testosterone may cause oily skin with breakouts and increased hair growth. Women with polycystic ovaries may suffer more so with this condition. Women are usually protected from acne with their estrogen production and thus the reason that many doctors recommend birth control pills for acne breakouts. When estrogen drops around premenstrual times, women may have more eruptions.

If we eat a diet that doesn't supply nutrients and antioxidants that help our skin to repair itself we may suffer from more breakouts, sun damage, wrinkles and aging of the skin. Foodstuffs give our body messages to produce inflammation or repair and nourish our skin. A rainbow of fruits and vegetables provide the body with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help repair and nourish our skin. Eating foods that are high glycemic tend to increase the incidence of breakouts. Choose whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, teff, millet, rye), lean proteins (chicken, fish, turkey), legumes (lentils, beans), healthy fats (raw nuts, olive and coconut oil), plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Improper skin care may result in breakouts. Dead skin cells trap bacteria and oils in the pore and can cause eruptions. Lotions that contain heavy creams or oils may actually worsen breakouts. Choose non-comedogenic, oil free, hypoallergenic sunscreens, lotions and creams. Using an exfoliant a few times a week is helpful to remove dead skin cells and keep the pore clear and able to release their natural oils on the surface of the skin. This may not be appropriate for those with very irritated skin. Using harsh chemical products may actually dry the skin and make skin look much dryer. Try natural products such as Burt's bees, derma E, aubrey organics or Jason to avoid added chemicals. Check at your local health food store to see what they carry and recommend. The skin absorbs our skin care products into our bloodstream so choosing more natural products is a prudent choice for health.

Food allergies and sensitivities actually contribute to breakouts as well as other conditions such as eczema and hives. Cystic acne in particular can be related to certain food allergies such as dairy, wheat and nuts. The most common food allergies/sensitivities are wheat, dairy,gluten, corn, soya, citrus, sugar and eggs. Have yourself tested for food sensitivities by your doctor or contact the clinic for more information.

Certain nutritional supplements are beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. Healing nutrients are vitamin A, C, E and zinc. They help to repair and soothe irritated skin. Essential fatty acids, especially those that contain GLA found in borage oil or evening primrose oil are beneficial for those with skin conditions. Some topical herbal treatments such as tea tree oil or thyme have been found to help as a spot treatment for healing acne eruptions. Hormonal balancing with nutritional supplements benefit when needed. Each person has unique dietary and nutritional needs.

If you suffer from breakouts and need further help, please contact the clinic to book a personalized consultation. 519-827-9237

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Food as a Messenger

Did you know that what you eat sends messages to the cells of your body? It is true you are what you eat, and don't excrete. Food carries many messages both positive and negative, through its transfer of nutrients, such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates, polyphenols, phenols, sterols, bioflavonoids, carotenoids and the list goes on....

Food carries amazing messages along with its consumption, not to mention the feelings around food, such as comfort food or "food is love" themes. Certain foods actually send out messages for inflammation, healing, alternating acid levels, feeding bad bacteria and hormonal health. With food ingested acting as a biochemical messenger in our body, it is a prudent idea to eat by choice and not by habit.

Some messages that food can send to our body:

1. Increase inflammation: Food can increase inflammatory proteins in our body and cause certains health concerns such as muscle aches, pains, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, headaches, cancer, cognitive disease such as alzheimers and dementia. Certain foods known to increase inflammation are red meat, charred meats, trans and saturated fats from meat and dairy and high glycemic foods (foods that flip into a sugar quickly in the bloodstream like sugar, white flour, white rice and refined products).

2. Decrease inflammation: Keeping inflammatory proteins low in the body is a great way to prevent disease such as arthritis, cognitive decline, cancer and heart disease. Some well known foods that decrease inflammation are:

omega 3 fats found in fish oil

ground flaxseeds or flax oil

spices such as rosemary, tumeric, garlic, ginger

green tea

3. Healthy hormonal modulation: Foods help to promote healthy reproductive organs and hormonal harmony. Some foods that are known to help with hormone health are:

5. Cholesterol lowering foods: Food can raise and lower cholesterol. Foods that increase cholesterol are high glycemic foods, red meat, saturated and trans fats and processed foods. Eating a healthy diet made of whole foods helps reduce cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. The following foods have been found to improve cholesterol:

garlic has been used for centuries to help hypertension, cholesterol and kill bad bacteria

vegetarian based diet may lower cholesterol, introduce legumes (beans and lentils) into your diet, the extra fibre bind up cholesterol for its excretion

eat 8 to 10 plant based foods daily

oat bran and oatmeal help to reduce cholesterol by adding fibre and binding up cholesterol for excretion

jeruselum artichokes help liver function and aid in cholesterol

nuts and seeds are a source of fats, but they actually help to lower cholesterol because they increase healthy HDL cholesterol.

6. Increasing or Decreasing Blood Sugar: foods that increase blood sugar are refined carbohydrates such as white sugar, white flour, white rice. Eating foods that are high glycemic can actually contribute to diabetes and other diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Foods that reduce blood sugar are low glycemic foods like whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts and whole grains. The higher the fiber, protein and fat content of foods the lower the glycemic index. Be sure your fat choices are monounsaturated fats such a olive, coconut or flaxseed oil. Raw nuts are a healthy source of fats as well. Lean proteins (chicken, fish, turkey) and legumes are the best choices for protein sources. The longer it takes to break down the food the lower it is on the glycemic index. Low glycemic diets keep people leaner, prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers.

The mediterrean diet has been studied and verified as one of the best diets to abide by for longevity and health. When receiving the latest studies on diet and health, there are new and exciting studies about foods and their health properties. A point worth noting is they are always whole foods that have a health benefit, never a pre-packaged man made food. Eat a diet of mixed whole foods, in a healthy proportion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and you can never go wrong.